Southside Community Land Trust (SCLT) was founded in 1981 to increase the availability of healthy food for low-income, urban and immigrant Providence residents. It has since turned 32 acres of urban and peri-urban land into 52 community gardens and four production and demonstration farms in three additional communities.

The land trust co-founded three farmers markets and three growers’ collaboratives. It serves more than 225 young people each year through a Youth Employment and Education program.

While its sustainable agriculture programs, organizational reach and operations have grown over the years, many people it serves still cannot easily find or afford fresh produce for their families.

In response, SCLT trains growing numbers of beginning farmers each year through hands-on training, marketing workshops and farm apprenticeships. It is putting more acreage in the state to use growing food by connecting farmers with property owners seeking to keep their land from being developed.